Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens through the TwentiesRecently the lives of people from age 18 to 29 have changed so dramatically that a new stage of life has developed, emerging adulthood, that is distinct from both the adolescence that precedes it and the young adulthood that comes in its wake. Rather than marrying and becoming parents in their early twenties, most people in industrialized societies now postpone these transitions until at least their late twenties, and instead spend the time in self-focused exploration as they try out different possibilities in their careers and relationships. In Emerging Adulthood, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett identifies and labels, for the first time, this period exploration, instability, possibility, self-focus, and a sustained sense of being in limbo. An increasing number of emerging adults emphasize having meaningful and satisfying work to a degree not seen in prior generations. Marrying later and exploring more casual sexual relationships have created different hopes and fears concerning long-term commitments and the differences between love and sex. Emerging adults also face the challenge of defending their non-traditional lifestyles to parents and others outside their generation who have made much more traditional choices. In contrast to previous portrayals of emerging adults, Arnett's research shows that they are particularly skilled at maintaining contradictory emotions--they are confident while still being wary, and optimistic in the face of large degrees of uncertainty. As the demographics of American youth, the American workplace, and adulthood continue to evolve, Emerging Adulthood is indispensable reading for anyone wanting to understand the face of modern America. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 48
Page v
... entering full-time work, marriage, and parenthood. This seemed perfectly reasonable to me. My own sense of reaching adulthood had been marked by entering full-time work and, if not marriage, at least feeling ready for marriage. I was ...
... entering full-time work, marriage, and parenthood. This seemed perfectly reasonable to me. My own sense of reaching adulthood had been marked by entering full-time work and, if not marriage, at least feeling ready for marriage. I was ...
Page vi
... entering par- enthood. In fact, all four of the sociological transitions ended up rock bot- tom when I surveyed college students about possible criteria for adulthood. Instead of the sociological transitions, the most important criteria ...
... entering par- enthood. In fact, all four of the sociological transitions ended up rock bot- tom when I surveyed college students about possible criteria for adulthood. Instead of the sociological transitions, the most important criteria ...
Page 3
... rise in the ages of entering marriage and parenthood , the length- ening of higher education , and prolonged job instability during the twen- ties reflect the development of a new period of life 3 1. A Longer Road to Adulthood.
... rise in the ages of entering marriage and parenthood , the length- ening of higher education , and prolonged job instability during the twen- ties reflect the development of a new period of life 3 1. A Longer Road to Adulthood.
Page 5
... enter marriage in order to have a regular sexual relationship. Now most young people have a series of sexual relationships before entering marriage,3 and most Americans do not object to this, as long as sex does not begin at an age that ...
... enter marriage in order to have a regular sexual relationship. Now most young people have a series of sexual relationships before entering marriage,3 and most Americans do not object to this, as long as sex does not begin at an age that ...
Page 6
... entering the adult roles of spouse and parent. Young people of the 1950s were eager to enter adult- hood and “settle down.”6 Perhaps because they grew up during the upheavals of the Great Depression and World War II, achieving the ...
... entering the adult roles of spouse and parent. Young people of the 1950s were eager to enter adult- hood and “settle down.”6 Perhaps because they grew up during the upheavals of the Great Depression and World War II, achieving the ...
Contents
3 | |
2 What Is It Like to Be an Emerging Adult? Four Profiles | 27 |
A New Relationship With Parents | 47 |
4 Love and Sex | 73 |
5 Meandering Toward Marriage | 97 |
Twists and Turns | 119 |
More Than a Job | 143 |
Religious Beliefs and Values | 165 |
Four Case Studies | 189 |
What Does It Mean to Become an Adult? | 207 |
Notes | 229 |
References | 247 |
Index of Names | 259 |
General Index | 263 |
Other editions - View all
Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens through the Twenties Jeffrey Jensen Arnett No preview available - 2004 |
Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties Jeffrey Jensen Arnett No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
adolescence African Americans Arnett Asian Americans becoming an adult believe better boyfriend career Catholic Cathy Guisewite chapter child childhood Chinese American choice church cohabitation collectivism collectivistic commitment course decide deists divorce dreams early twenties enter college entering marriage especially ethnic group experience father friends goals Goldscheider graduate happy high school hope identity explorations important Internet dating kids kind late teens late twenties Latinos leaving home less living at home look love partners Lynn Johnston major marriage and parenthood married McJobs mean mother move parents divorced person Popenoe & Whitehead possible premarital premarital sex reach emerging adulthood reached adulthood relationship religious beliefs responsibilities rience self-focused sexual sexual intercourse sexual revolution social someone stressful teens and early There’s things transition to adulthood values young adulthood young women